


That Green Light (I Want It)

by theskyfelldown



Series: This is MELODRAMA [1]
Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: 90s Themed Diners, Alternate Universe, Anger, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Internal Conflict, Louis with Lipstick, M/M, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-17 10:58:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11850168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theskyfelldown/pseuds/theskyfelldown
Summary: With Harry right next to him, it doesn’t feel so terrifying anymore.





	That Green Light (I Want It)

**Author's Note:**

> **For Sonia <3**
> 
>  
> 
> **Before you ask what this is – honest to god, I really have no idea what I’m doing. I guess its fics based off Lorde’s Melodrama, that’s one way to say it but I’ve just used my own interpretations as a foundation?**  
>  **Anyway – I’m writing nine fics excluding Sober II and Liability, one for each ship of choice and each one is dedicated to a person who either means a lot to me or that I’m really fond of or both.**
> 
> **I do realize I have a WIP in progress that IS happening, by the way, I’m working on it – but this idea was at the back of my head for far too long, it’s gotten too difficult to ignore it. Hope you guys like this :)**
> 
> **Kudos and comments mean the fucking world to me.**
> 
> **Not beta-ed or britpicked and lots of geographical inaccuracies!**
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/aiioutshirt/) [tumblr](thebloodychambrs.tumblr.com/)

**GREEN LIGHT; Larry / Zouis**

“You think my lipstick’s too bright?”

Louis hears Harry’s loud exhale of breath and tries hard not to smile. Harry’s practically got his face pushed against the steering wheel waiting for Louis to just hurry the fuck up with his makeup.

“Well?” Louis presses, “Do ya?”

“You look lovely,” Harry says through gritted teeth because it just might be the tenth time Louis’ asked him the in the last five minutes and his answer had always been the same – _you look lovely, Louis, honestly, you look great, for fuck’s sake, Louis_.

“Thank you,” Louis says and catches his reflection again at the sun visor. His lipstick is too bright against his pale skin but it’s loud. And it almost feels like he’s saying something or trying to draw a point across and that’s fucking exactly what Louis’ going for. “I’m just nervous,”

Harry’s eyes soften, just like that and it shouldn’t bother Louis, it shouldn’t. “Love, you don’t even have to do this –”

“But I have to, Harry.” Louis snaps and tries to soften his voice. They’re in Harry’s truck outside the little dinner that used to be Louis’ favourite before it started to remind him of everything he’d lost, everything he’d so easily given up all because he was so fucking afraid and he’d just refuse to go back into the place ever again. “I have to – I’m not over him and I need that – I don’t know that fucking **green light** – something – _anything_ to get over him. I’ve had enough of playing our memories over and over and over again till it feels like a fucking broken record in my head. He fucked me up in the worst way, Harry. I want to walk in there with my head held high and I want to prove it to him that I don’t fucking need him anymore.”

Harry stays quiet and taps his fingers on the steering wheel. The restaurant’s in the outskirt of town and it’s so eerily quiet that it raises goose flesh on Louis’ skin. Life had been so much more different when he’d moved with Harry to London. It was city lights that hurt his eyes and neon signs hung over his head and the feeling of never being lost ever again.

Harry asks, “Why do you need to draw that point across? Why do you want to tell him that?”

“Maybe I’d start believing it then myself.” Louis says and a silence follows his words. Louis takes one glance at his reflection, “I’m done.”

“You look beautiful,” Harry says quietly and Louis tries not to show how his words affect him but it’s hard. He’s sure his cheeks match the shade of lipstick that coats his lips. Harry puts his hand on the side of his face and leans closer and when his lips are just hovering right above Louis’, Louis can’t help but blurt out.

“You’ll get lipstick on you.” Louis whispers and Louis feels Harry’s lips curve up into a smile and presses his lips against Harry’s. It’s a soft kiss – so warm and gentle, like that of spilling honey. Louis feels need pool at the bottom of his belly and Harry’s the one who pulls back, caresses the tip of Louis’ cheekbone with his finger and there’s an amount of affection in his bright eyes that would have Louis running for the hills, if it’d been with anyone else but somehow, with Harry right next to him, it doesn’t feel so terrifying anymore.

**M**

When Louis finally musters the courage to face him, Harry takes Louis into the little restaurant, hand in hand. He only breaks their grasp to hold the door open for Louis and Louis rolls his eyes despite the small smile at how chivalric Harry’s being, despite the fact he’s going to see Louis’ fucking _ex_ , despite the fact he’s confessed he’s still in fucking love with the said ex.

He’s not sure why he even agreed to meet with Zayn again in the first place. He wasn’t over him – it hadn’t been three months yet and Louis had been in love for Zayn for God knew who long before the years just started to blur against each other and Louis lost the concept of time. But he had to. He didn’t know why it was so important to him but he just had to.

It’s a pretty little place with pink lighting and leather booths and an old fashioned juke box at the corner, dusty without use and Louis can’t help but think of the bittersweet moments that seem to adorn the walls and bombard his senses when he walks past. It’s Louis and Zayn sitting in the booth in the corner, Zayn whispering sweet rubbish into Louis’ mouth and Louis giggling like a love sick puppy. It’s Zayn and Louis sharing the straw of a strawberry milkshake even though Zayn hates strawberries. And it’s Zayn with his hand under Louis’ denim shorts, inching up higher and higher and Louis trying to rattle off their order to the waitress before Zayn does something and Louis bites his lip hard enough to draw blood, just so he wouldn’t scream out loud.

It’s Harry’s hand at the plane of his back and voice that tethers him back to Earth.

“Is that them?” Harry whispers and Louis looks at where he’s looking and his heart.

Just.

Fucking falls to his feet.

It’s not Zayn and Louis at the back booth anymore but Zayn and a girl with pretty blonde hair cascading down her back and a bright smile. She’s laughing at something Zayn tells her and Louis wants to stalk forward and shake her. This – _this_ is how he takes you.

Harry’s hand slips and goes to reach Louis’ hand. Louis’ hand is warm and wet with sweat but all Harry does is hold him tighter and Louis’ so fucking grateful to have him with him.

“It’s okay,” Harry whispers when they walk forward. Because of fucking course, it is okay. It’s absolutely nothing. It doesn’t mean anything when Louis stalks forward with the love of his life to the love of his life, with his insides shrivelling like burning paper.

“I love you.” Harry says and Louis hates that it sounds like a plea. That he’s made it sound like he could Zayn more than Harry and Louis wants to tell him; you are the best thing that happened to me and he, the worst but stays quiet because that’s when Zayn looks up at notices them and his face just fucking lights up like a fucking Christmas tree.

He waves at them to come and sit with them, like every other seat in the room isn’t taken and the ones right next to them empty, like everyone was inching away from them they like had a rare disease or reminded the old and too young (for they were the ones who littered the small little place) something that they could not have.

Louis smiled tightly at the duo, Zayn smiles at him like nothing ever went wrong and the blonde with looks like one of a model splayed across a glossy magazine cover practically beaming up at Louis and Harry. Harry lets Louis slide in first so he’s right in front of Zayn which – was fucking wonderful, is the thing. Just what he needed.

There’s a sudden pause where everyone looks at each other, not sure what to do before Harry draws down his imaginary fist and breaks the silence. “I’m Harry Styles.” He says and he smiles both at the blonde and at Zayn, although his smile draws tighter when he looks at the dark haired boy.

Zayn smiles easily, like he’s got no fucking clue and he looks so fucking good is the thing that it physically hurts Louis, like it’s someone stabbing a fucking dagger through his heart. He’s got his dark hair all over his eyes and he looks younger, more brighter than he was ever with Louis and the observation makes Louis feel like someone’s pushed him face first into a bowl of cold water to wake the fuck up.

“I’m Gigi,” The blonde grins, “Gigi Hadid.”

Christ, even her names sounds one of that would be splashed across a magazine cover. Looking at her pretty blue eyes and her soft hair, Louis feels a wave of self-loathing over take him but quickly the wave breaks into nothing but ashy foam when Harry’s hand comes up to cover his.

“I feel like I’ve seen you before,” Harry says to Gigi and Gigi throws her head back and laughs. Louis steals a glance at Zayn who’s looking at Gigi with the softest smile, a smile that had never ever been directed at Louis and Louis feels, and maybe this is it.

“I’m a model,” Somehow, the revelation isn’t too shocking. “You might have seen me on some covers.”

“She’s just being modest,” Zayn grins and pulls Gigi closer by slinging his arm around her shoulder. Gigi just turns red and hides her face in the crook of his neck. They’re sickeningly in love and Louis’ sure his face is already on the verge of turning an alarming shade of green.  “She’s already on some Vogue covers.”

“Vogue?” Harry sounds genuinely interested and Louis would have been exasperated if he hadn’t been so in love with Harry. He stares at the side of Harry’s profile, jawline sharp in the dim light and the ringlet of curls that touch his shoulder. Harry looks sideways at Louis and smiles and Louis doesn’t think it matters anymore.

“Yeah,” Gigi shrugs, like it’s nothing, “My sister and brother are models too.”

Louis, with everything in him, stops the urge to roll his eyes. “That’s lovely,” Harry says easily and changes the subject, “Well, I’m absolutely famished with the long drive here; you do know how London traffic gets like.” He says and opens the menu that’s in front of him with great importance and Louis feels a smile growing on his lips because he knows what Harry’s up to.

Zayn looks a little miffed, “Yeah, I do. In fact, I moved from London actually. Just recently.”

Harry looks genuinely interested and looks up to ask, “Why did you move?”

“The city’s too much,” Zayn shrugs. “And besides I need a quieter place for my art.”

“He’s a _great_ artist,” Gigi says, “I’m sure you’ve seen his work before.”

“I think I have somewhere.” Harry says indifferent and looks at Louis, “Do you guys want to order? I’m hungry.”

After a chorus of mumbled agreement,  Harry flags down a waitress with an apron tied around her waist and a smile bright, despite the dark circles under her eyes.

“Welcome to The Eatery, what can I get you guys?” She chirps and whips out a notepad and black felt pen. She looks at Harry who looks at Louis

“What would you like to order, babe?”

Louis takes a look at Zayn’s face, one that resembles like he’d swallowed a slice of lemon and looks at Harry who’s got a hint of a snarky little smile playing on his lips. All Louis feels is love and love and love for this boy.

“Um, I’ll go for the chocolate chip pancakes I think.” Louis says and he looks at Harry, a smile curling at his lips. The waitress jots it down. “And you, love?”

“The classic cheeseburger and fries,” Harry tilts his head at Zayn and Gigi, “And you guys?”

“I’ll have the split pea soup,” Gigi says.

“And a rigatoni Bolognese.” Zayn says and Louis tries not to fume because of course – posh git.

“Right then,” The waitress scribbles it all down and slides back her notepad into the front pocket of her apron. “It’ll take you lot fifteen minutes.”

Harry smiles at her as she walks away and looks at Louis and raises an eyebrow at Zayn.

“So,” Zayn starts and Louis prepares himself, “Louis – what are you upto?”

“Um.” Louis fixes his fringe, “I’ve got that internship at Harlequin’s.”

“The one you’ve always wanted,” Zayn says and there’s something in his voice that makes the back of Louis’ neck prickle.

“Yeah.” Louis says and grabs a tissue and tries to tear it into little pieces. He knew this was a bad idea.

“It’s a pity you and Zayn had to move away from each other,” Gigi chirps and Louis looks at her, “Zayn told me how close you guys were.” She tilts her head and smiles, “Your friendship is really admirable.”

Louis feels his mouth drop and looks at Zayn who looks at Louis with wide eyes and fucking hell – really. Of fucking course. Harry’s hand reaches down and squeezes Louis’ hand and all Louis tries to ever do is fucking – breathe.

“Did I say something wrong?” Gigi asks, eyebrows furrowed.

“No, you didn’t, babe.” Zayn assures her and Harry’s hand clenches around Louis’ hand and squeezes it so fucking hard and fuck – Louis can’t breathe.

“How dare you – how fucking _dare_ you –” Harry says through gritted teeth and he spits every word out, like fire. “How could you even fucking say that?”

“What?” Gigi asks.

“Louis and Zayn weren’t just friends,” Harry says and Louis’ heart clenches with every word and he still can’t open his mouth to just fucking _speak_. “They were lovers.”

Gigi’s eyebrows furrow deeper and she looks at Zayn, “But you said –”

“What we had was nothing, babe, it was nothing,” Zayn tries but Gigi stands up and God – everything fucking hurts and Louis’ insides aren’t just shrivelling anymore. It’s fucking dust. And all the love he ever had for Zayn is nothing anymore and it doesn’t even fucking matter anymore because the Zayn who stands in front of him is someone Louis doesn’t know. He’s just someone with the same fingertips branded on Louis’ skin forever.

Harry stands up and Louis looks up because the last thing he needs is for Harry to make a scene. But all Harry does is hold out his hand for Louis to take. And Louis takes it. He stands up and looks at down whose still sitting.

“You were the worst thing that ever happened to me,” Louis says and Zayn’s face crumples, only a little but Louis ploughs through, almost merciless. “You fucked me up and you made me lose sight of what was important to me and I’ve finally someone who loves me the way I deserve to.” Louis’ hand squeezes Harry’s and out of his peripheral, he sees Harry looking right at him with a smile and Louis’ heart threatens to fucking explode, “You treated me like shit and I’m glad you fucking left me. I’m glad you did.”

Louis takes a step back, “Well, this is goodbye then.” Louis says and smiles. He’d come in here first with love that weakened his mind and regret that tasted like ash on his tongue and bittersweet memories that plagued his mind. Louis pushes past the door open and laughs loudly and turns around and grabs Harry and kisses him square on the fucking mouth. Harry makes a surprised noise but weaves his arms around Louis’ waist and pulls him closer.

He’s got his **green light**.


End file.
